This Turmeric Lentil Soup is a vibrant vegan soup made with immunity-boosting turmeric that’s ready in just 40 minutes.

I make this turmeric lentil soup all the time! The flavours are pure comfort in a bowl, it’s super simple to throw together, and it always hits the spot.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Healthy & comforting: Packed with turmeric and nutrient-rich lentils, this vegan soup supports your immune system while keeping it light, satisfying and comforting.
- Easy & flavourful: No fuss, simple steps and full of flavour. It’s perfect for any day of the week!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Ingredient – substitution details.
- Olive oil – or any other neutral cooking oil like canola or avocado oil.
- Onions – you can use yellow or white onions.
- Carrots – parsnip has a similar texture but a slightly different taste.
- Celery – double up on the carrots or leave them out altogether.
- Garlic – jarred garlic or garlic powder would work in a pinch.
- Ginger – you can also try using ground ginger if you don’t have any fresh ginger.
- Coconut milk – substitute for light coconut milk if you want to cut the calories or try soy milk (although it won’t be as creamy).
- Can of diced tomatoes – you could also use freshly diced tomatoes, just make sure to add in the juices as well.
- Vegetable broth – for a non-vegan option, you can use chicken broth.
- Turmeric – saffron is an alternative, but is sweeter and doesn’t have the same healing properties as turmeric.
- Cumin – ground coriander would also work here.
- Red lentils – French or green lentils are another option.
- Spinach – any other greens will work like Swiss chard or mustard greens.
- Lemon juice – if you don’t have any lemon juice, you could also try lime juice.
How to make turmeric lentil soup
Step 1: Sauté the base.
Sauté the onions, carrots and celery, then the garlic, ginger and seasonings.
Step 2: Add more ingredients.
Add coconut milk, tomatoes, broth and lentils, bring to a boil and cook.
Step 3: Add remaining ingredients.
Add the spinach and lemon juice and stir until combined.
Step 4: Serve and enjoy!
Serve in your favourite bowl and enjoy every spoonful!

Recipe tips and variations
Here are my tips and variations to ensure this turmeric lentil soup turns out perfect every time:
- Sauté aromatics first: Cooking the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, ginger, and turmeric brings out big flavour.
- Use fresh turmeric if you can: It gives a brighter, earthier flavour, but dried works in a pinch.
- Season at the end: Taste before serving and add extra salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon to brighten the soup.
- Veggie boost: Stir in kale, zucchini, or green beans for extra nutrients and texture.
- Spice it up: Add a pinch of chili flakes or cayenne for a subtle kick.
- More protein: Consider adding cooked chickpeas or cubed tofu for an added boost of protein.
Frequently asked questions
Is lentil soup healthy?
Yes! Lentils are full of protein, fibre, and nutrients like iron, potassium, and calcium. Plus, the turmeric adds an immune-boosting kick. It’s light, nourishing, and actually keeps you satisfied.
How much turmeric should I add?
You really don’t need much. One tablespoon gives you all the flavour and health benefits you need. Adding more can make it a bit strong, so stick with a tablespoon and you’re good to go.
How can I make the soup creamier?
This recipe uses coconut milk to give it a creamy base, but if you like it even richer, add a bit more coconut milk. You can also blend part or all of the soup for a silky texture.

Storing and reheating
Storing: Portion the soup into individual containers and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Glass meal prep bowls work great because you can reheat single servings without having to scoop from a big bowl.
Reheating: Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through for even heating.
Freezing: Freeze the soup for up to 3 months in freezer safe containers. I love Souper Cubes!
Defrosting and reheating: Defrost in the fridge overnight, or heat from frozen in the microwave for 6-8 minutes, stirring halfway.


Turmeric Lentil Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh turmeric minced; or 1 tsp dried
- 13 oz full fat coconut milk
- 13 oz diced tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 cup brown lentils
- 4 cups spinach chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice preferably fresh from a lemon
Instructions
- Melt coconut oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrots and celery, sauteeing for 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin, salt and pepper, sauteeing another minute until fragrant.
- Add remaining ingredients except for spinach and lemon juice, bringing to a boil and cooking for 30-35 minutes or under lentils are tender.
- Stir in spinach and lemon juice, then serve and enjoy!



Comments & Reviews
Nura says
So so good! I used regular green lentils and just added two more mins to the cook time. It was perfect!
Tiffany says
I made this last night and it was so good! My husband is a huge meat eater and he loved it! He did not miss the meat! And, it was so easy to make!
Rehana says
Would it be ok to use fresh diced tomatoes instead of the canned ones? Not sure if this would make too much of a difference?
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Rehana – the taste and texture would definitely be different. I wouldn’t recommend it.
Rose says
Hi there! I made this last night however kept getting a burn notice on the instant pot. I followed the recipe however used only 1 onion. 3 burn notices in a row. Never reached full pressure. However it did seem to cook and turned out tasty in the end. However took much longer then 3 minutes. Any suggestions on how to prevent this from occurring? Thank you!
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Rose – that’s very strange as there’s loads of liquid in this soup. I’m wondering if you stirred the pot before cooking? Sometimes that can result in a burn notice. Or if you didn’t put the oil on the bottom.
Lee McNair says
I noticed olive oil is not mentioned except in ingredient list and the instant pat recipe preparation at the beginning of this page does not include it at all. It would be easy to miss adding the tbsp of olive oil.
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Lee – olive oil is listed in the recipe. It’s not listed in the blog post text because it’s considered a pantry staple and not necessarily something you would need to run out and buy as you would with fresh ingredients.
Julie says
I followed the recipe exact, but left out one onion. Mine were reeeeally large. Unfortunately i kept receiving a burn message. I improvised by putting it on the saute mode and cooking it like on the stove top. I had to add more vegetable broth because it kept becoming overly thick. Not sure what happened with it, but it received rave reviews either way!
Stacy says
I’m so happy I found this recipe!! I used kale instead of spinach and added butternut squash because I had some that needed to be used up. This soup is AMAZING!! Thank you!
Lucy says
are you using dry lentals or canned?
Taylor Stinson says
Dry lentils!
Lisa says
Thank you. I made it last night, it was amazing! absolutely delish. Very rich can only have one bowl but sooo good!
Emily says
I have someone in my family who is allergic to spinach. Do you have a recommendation for a substitute for spinach?
Taylor Stinson says
You can use kale or just leave the spinach out 🙂
Lawrence says
Hello,
I was wondering…would it be a big deal if I used a whole bag of lentils? meaning 160z instead of just a cup. Do you think it would be a mistake?
Thanks
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Lawrence – I always recommend using exactly what’s written in the recipe for best results. If you added more lentils than 1 cup, it may result in a burn message or a super thick stew. If you don’t mind the thickness and it doesn’t burn on the bottom then you should be ok!
Kay says
I’m really excited to try this recipe, but I don’t have an Instant Pot. Would I be alright to use a slow cooker, or should I cook on the stove top?
Taylor Stinson says
I would cook it on the stovetop! You should be able to dump everything in, bring to a boil and simmer for 30-40 min 🙂